Question Cloud Answer Pond

Reading Comprehension Lesson Plan

1st Grade

I. Content and Standards:

a. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.1
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
b. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.4
Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of
words and phrases in a text.
c. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.10
With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately
complex for grade 1.
d. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.8
With guidance and support from adults, recall information from
experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a
question.
e. Lesson is compatible with American Reading Company’s First Grade
Informational Research Lab: Wild and Endangered Animals.
II. Prerequisites:
a. Ability to read an appropriately leveled text independently.
b. Understanding the difference between a question and a statement.
III. Instructional Objective:
a. While reading an appropriately leveled informational book, readers will
generate at least 2 questions from the text or pictures while reading, and
locate the answers to the questions in the same book, if available.
IV. Instructional Procedures:
a. Access prior knowledge and make connections
i. “What is it like to be a researcher? What do researchers do?”
Students discuss what they know about what being a researcher.
b. Explicitly explain learning goal
i. “We are going to learn how to ask ourselves questions while we are
reading our animal books.” Students discuss how to use question
starters like “I wonder…” and question words like who, what, where,
when, why and how.
ii. “What do we do with our questions?” Students discuss finding
answers to their questions.
c. Model activity with gradual release
i. Question Cloud/ Answer Pond graphic is drawn on the flip chart
(see attachment). Question starter words are written around the
borders.
ii. While reading aloud, explicitly model thinking by stopping and
asking a question. “I wonder. Why does that zebra have black
 and white stripes?” Write the question on a sticky note and put on
the question cloud.
iii. As reading aloud continues, students use thumbs up on chest to
signal when they have a question. Students turn and talk to discuss
questions. A couple of students share their questions with the class.
We write them on sticky notes and add to the Question Cloud.
iv. “When we find an answer to a question in the text, we will write the
answer on the back of the sticky note and move it to the answer
pond.” As read aloud continues, model finding an answer to a
question, writing the answer on the back of the sticky note, and
moving the sticky note to the Answer Pond.
v. For rest of read aloud, students will continue to use the thumbs up
to indicate questions and answers with several students coming to
easel to write questions and answers and move sticky notes.
d. Provide clear instructions
1. “We are going to select a book about our animal and return
to our desk. At your seat are a Question Cloud/ Answer
Pond sheet and a couple sticky notes. Write your name,
date and the title of your book on your sheet.”
2. After students have book and written title on activity sheet,
review how to complete activity.
a. “What do we do with the sticky notes?”
b. “Where do we put our sticky notes with questions?”
c. “Where do we put our sticky notes with answers?”
d. “Do I have to write complete questions and answers
or can I draw pictures or write key words?”
e. Independent Practice
i. As students are reading and developing questions, I will circulate to
assess and support. If needed, I will help students think of questions
by using the prompt “I wonder…” and remind them of the question
starters. If writing is difficult, I can confirm that they are generating
questions orally.
ii. Students may have additional sticky notes to generate as many
questions as they can.
f. Conclusion
i. We can conclude the lesson with a group discussion and students
can share their questions and answers. Students can share if they
had questions to which they did not find an answer and what we
should do with these questions. Students can reflect on how asking
questions while reading can help them become experts on their
research topic.
V. Materials and Equipment:
a. Flip chart
b. Informational book for read aloud
 c. Question Cloud graphic organizer
d. Sticky notes
VI. Assessment/Evaluation:
a. Formative assessment will be ongoing during the discussion and modelling
period. Student responses and engagement will inform instructional
modifications in the moment.
b. Students knowledge of developing a question will be assessed while
completing the activity (see attachment). Success will be indicated by:
i. questions generated (orally or written) during reading
ii. quality of focus
iii. ability to find answers to questions within the text
VII. Differentiation:
a. Writing expectations of students can be differentiated. Those with early/
emerging writing skills will be expected to be able to understand and read
back what they wrote on the sticky notes, whereas students with more
advanced writing skills will be expected to write at their level (cvc words
and words from power wall, capital letters, and question marks). If writing
is presenting an obstacle to achieving the learning goal, students can
draw pictures to represent their question or ask their questions orally.
b. English Language Learners and/or those in need of more support can use
Question Cloud graphic organizer with question starter words for closer
reference.
c. English Language Learners can be partnered with students with strong
reading and writing skills and they can work together.
d. One-on-one time can be spent to guide students to find answers to their
questions.
e. Students who complete activity correctly before others are done can be
asked to try to generate additional “thick” questions that begin with how,
why or what if. They can save their questions for their next library visit, and
look for answers in additional books.
VIII. Technology:
a. If required as an adaptive strategy, students can use an iPod to listen to a
recorded text instead of reading it.
IX. Self-Assessment:
a. I will consider the success of the lesson based on the following questions:
i. How many students achieved the instructional objective of
generating at least 2 questions while reading an informational
book?
ii. Did students of every level achieve the instructional objective?
Who did not? Why?
iii. Did we complete the lesson within the available time?
iv. If I were to repeat the lesson, what would I do differently?
v. If I were to repeat the lesson, what would I do the same?
 Questioning Strategy Lesson Summative Assessment Checklist

Student Name Generated Are questions Used Found Answers

questions from focused? question in text/
text/ pictures? words? pictures?
Name___________________________________ Date____________
MY QUESTIONS ABOUT:
Book
Title______________________________________________________

Question Cloud

Answer Pond
Name___________________________________ Date____________
MY QUESTIONS ABOUT:
Book
Title______________________________________________________

Question Cloud

Why?

What?
What
if…?
Who?

How?

I
wonder Where?
…??

When?

Answer Pond